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Southwest Heritage Trail 10. Escape from Slavery (7th & Water Streets SW)
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The Cake Incident
The largest attempted slave escape began on the evening of April 15, 1848 near 7th & Water Streets in SW Washington DC. 77
men and women slipped aboard the schooner PEARL. The Pearl was apprehended and the passengers & crew were brought back to the
wharf. Among the passengers were the Edmonson sisters. (from the Washington Post):
A cab driver named Judson Diggs also arrived
near the ship with an escapee and his trunk. To Diggs's vexation, the penniless passenger simply promised to send money later to
cover his fare. Diggs, who traded in information and goods, was well acquainted with the Edmonson family and knew that the
siblings would be aboard.
Not too long before this attempted escape on the Pearl, Emily Edmonson caught his eye. One evening, Diggs turned to Emily
and awkwardly extended a piece of stale cake from his pocket and then a marriage proposal, proudly offering his mortgage-free home.
Diggs would not forget that Emily could not repress laughter at the sight of the cake or her distaste at the marriage proposal.
(from Wikipedia): In 1916, the historian John H. Paynter identified Judson Diggs as the slave who had betrayed the fugitives.
He had driven one of the participants to the dock. After the man failed to pay him, Diggs reported the suspicious activity.
Paynter, a descendant of the Edmonson siblings had interviewed descendants of the escapees. He wrote: "Judson Diggs, one of
their own people, a man who in all reason might have been expected to sympathize with their effort, took upon himself the
role of Judas."
The Cake Incident
18"x24"
acrylic on canvas
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